The Webcam on my Terra Laptop is no longer switching on. E.g. Zoom starts with the camera off, and it cannot be switched on. VLC returns an error message if I try to ‘capture the device’
Your input can't be opened:
VLC is unable to open the MRL 'v4l2://'. Check the log for details.
There is no device listed under /dev/video*n . *What should I do to establish whether the Webcam is broken, or whether a config file or module has become corrupted?
You say “no longer”. That makes me assume that it did earlier. Any Idea what happened in between? An update maybe?
And please also always tell what desktop environment you use. It helps people to visulalize your working situation.
Disabled in BIOS or function key perhaps?
Does the kernel detect it?
lsusb
Yes, today, but not for the last 2-3 weeks!! And the camera is working!!
lsusb
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 04f2:b34c Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd Chicony USB 2.0 Camera
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 8087:07da Intel Corp. Centrino Bluetooth Wireless Transceiver
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0a12:0001 Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:c534 Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
I tried lsusb yesterday, no camera. What is going on here? I’m flummoxed. :\
Perhaps you enabled it (inadvertently) via the keyboard function keys? 
Possibly loose contacts or circuit break.
In which case, I must have inadvertently disabled the camera at one point, 2-3 weeks ago. And, thereafter, boot-up was assuming the camera default was ‘off’.
Quite possibly. 
…apparently Fn+F10 toggles the camera on and off…Patience…it takes a moment or two before the camera result is evident.
Yes, that is obvious from the keyboard icons…